


When You're On A Golden Sea

by Wizard95



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, lifeguard AU, valdo's a cool guy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:08:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wizard95/pseuds/Wizard95
Summary: There's a new team of lifeguards on the beach and Jaskier feels as much drawn to them as he feels drawn by the deep blue ocean stretching under his board.Or: the one in which Jaskier's a surfer and Eskel, Lambert and Geralt probably have young girls and boys alike feigning drowning out and about.
Relationships: Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion/Lambert, Eskel/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, and more variations - it's easier to just tag this polyamory tbh
Comments: 11
Kudos: 100





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is what happens when I binge-watch Bondi Rescue, apparently. Enjoy.

Jaskier leans against the closest shelf to the door and stares at the impossibly-blue sky above. Not a person to be seen in close proximity to the shop. He's fixed every pair of footwear twice in the last hour and even cleaned the damned windows, but there's only so much he can do to ease his anxiety when the place is looking as pristine as its opening day already. Nobody's stepped in for at least seventy two minutes. Not that he's counting.

(He's counting.)

Well. The clock in the shape of a mermaid hanging from the wall is counting. Jaskier just sighs and stands up straight and closes his arms on his chest when he hears the new manager coming back out from her hidey-hole at the back. Her lips are almost blue.

"What a bore," she says, and Jaskier keeps looking towards the blue in front and hides a smile. She's alright. Albeit a little bit more suited to be doing swimsuit modelling rather than spending her days selling flip-flops and sunglasses in this shithole.

Jaskier turns his head around and steals another glance at the clock. Yennefer doesn't miss his look of yearning, but she says nothing. 

"You get used to it," he answers dead-pan. 

Only one more hour and he'll bolt. With any luck he'll catch a few waves before he's got to put on another bloody uniform. 

"Nobody comes in at this hour," Jaskier turns around and joins her at the counter where she's undoubtedly doing some sort of accounting of the day's scarce sales, "it's just us miserable sods here missing all the fun."

Yennefer hums like she disagrees. Which she probably does.

She's not the talkative type, so he makes up for it. As much as he can, anyway. He's probably exhausted every normal topic of conversation by now and she's clearly not interested in striking a friendship so Jaskier can hardly keep prying in her personal life.

"And you'll be getting bored of those blueberry lollies soon enough as well," Jaskier smiles wickedly, "give it a couple of days."

With that, he turns around and hops his way back to the front doors to squint at the sunlight and at the far-away surfers with another long-suffering sigh. 

Tick-tock. 

Only fifty-six minutes to freedom.

* * *

Today has been an exceptionally dull day so he doesn't even bother derailing from the path to fetch his swimsuit. He puts on his pair of shorts instead and stuffs his _Flippin'_ uniform inside the backpack with little care. 

Because he doesn't care.

And he drops it off at Vesemir's without checking in as well, just leaves it hanging from that very same spot by the door. He thinks he sees him chatting with some swimmers near the shore but he's too far away. His skin is almost itching to be submerged into the cold salty water so he just runs down the stairs and picks up Valdo's spare board and heads straight in without approaching. 

He breaks into the first wave head-first and feels like he can breathe again. The tension in his shoulders built from leaning down sorting flip-flops by colour and size and crouching down to get even the smallest speck of dust from every little corner of those windows starts to wear away with every metre he paddles into the ocean.

It's heaven.

Valdo gives him a nod when he's close enough but soon leaves him behind as he catches another wave. Jaskier takes the next one, relishing in how the water drizzles around him yet doesn't manage to actually engulf him, not until he's done a nice ride, anyway, and he jumps off the board by then. 

The sun starts going down a little too quick, as always. Much too quick for Jaskier's liking, and he hates it how time seems to go faster here but is freezing still back at the shop where all there is to do is fight the idleness.

He gets about seven waves and loses another four to Valdo's incorrigible competitiveness, by the time they're back at the shore the sky is a beautiful flame-like colour and the swimming flags have already been taken off. It's still quite packed, though.

"You'll regret that tomorrow," Valdo says, making a face at the early sunburn on his shoulders.

Jaskier runs a hand over his face and groans.

He knows he will. 

"Worth it," he smiles a toothy smile and Valdo shakes his head and brings the upper part of his swimsuit to his waist. 

"You got any water?" he asks, with an annoyingly-salty taste in his tongue and realising he hasn't brought a bottle either, today, because apparently he _was_ that desperate to get into the ocean. 

Valdo tosses one at his face and Jaskier gulps what's left unapologetically, he throws it back empty and starts making his way back to the main cabin to get his bag.

"Can you give me a ride?!" he shouts behind him.

"Ten minutes! I'm gone after that!" is what he gets in response, and he casts a glance behind to see Valdo crouching down to secure the boards.

He's a bit out of breath still when he makes it up the stairs and into the main tower. 

"Afternoon, Ve-!"

It's not Vesemir.

Just an identical shirt.

In fact, Vesemir's nowhere to be seen: two other guys turn around and Jaskier's brain short-circuits at the sight of them. 

"Oh. Hi," he smiles, takes a step forward to greet the new squad - or, well, the _first_ squad really, he supposes, since Vessie's only had _him_ to give a hand every now and then with managing the crowds. Seems like his pleas for properly trained personnel have finally been heard - _very_ well trained personnel, by the looks of it, aaaand he's staring, "about time!"

He lets out an awkward laugh and stands there as both men stare at him unamused. Which, well, he supposes there's really nothing to be amused of.

Goodness, that blond one's _frowning at him._

"We're closing off for the day," the other one says, the one with brown short hair and a scruffy shade of a beard, "do you need any assistance?"

And with that, New Lifeguard Number One gives him a once over, to check for any blood in his legs no doubt, or a shark bite or a snake bite or just - a sprained ankle?

"Oh - oh no, no," Jaskier blurts out, friendly smile not leaving his face and suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious under the gaze of these two Greek Gods, he takes a step back towards the hanger by the door, "I'm fine, I just - left my bag and I'm collecting it. Like I do... every... did Vesemir not mention me?"

He swings the backpack on as the two men share a look.

It makes him feel out of place. 

"Not exactly, what's your name?" Blond Frowny New Lifeguard Number Two asks, with a walkie-talkie in one hand and taking a step towards him in a cautious manner, as if he's afraid Jaskier will run off or something.

"Jas. Jaskier. I stop by every day, leave my stuff up here for a while," they can't possibly think he's come up all the way here and made up a story to try and steal someone's lost belongings, do they?

Better make sure.

"I'm not stealing it if that's what you're thinking."

The dark-haired one lets out an almost inaudible laugh from his chair by the counter and turns around to direct his eyes back to the beach. 

Jaskier fishes his wallet out of one of the pockets and hands it to the Silver-Blond Hercules.

"Hmm."

"Yeah, I'm in a bit of a hurry," he shifts his weight from one bare foot to another as Valdo's voice echoes in his mind. This is taking a bit too much time and he really doesn't feel like hopping on a bus packed with sandy, noisy and smelly teenagers.

"Yeah, that looks like you."

This time it's him the one letting out a laugh.

"Yeah. Good first day then?" he pockets his ID and can't stop himself from rambling, voice going up almost an octave, "no drownings?"

_Oh brilliant. Top-notch conversation starter. No deaths today? No deaths under your watch? Fucking marvelous._

Well, it's _not_ a conversation starter. It's a conversation _ender_. Valdo's going to leave him behind again, for fuck's sake! Damn it, he shouldn't have drunk all his water.

It's the one in the chair who speaks again, as his partner keeps frowning at him - Jaskier thinks he probably deserves that one. 

"No drownings," is what he says, with a sly smile as if he can hear Jaskier's every anxious thought.

"Oh good, that's good well - just let Vessie know I said hi, then," he backs up until he's standing on the top stairs, and with a "thanks!" he's hurrying down and running towards the car-park without looking back. As quick as he can manage after three hours of surfing and five excruciating minutes of anxious cardio, anyway.

"No drownings," he repeats, shaking his head, "you fucking idiot."

Valdo's still there, blasting pop music off his speakers like he owns the promenade.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guysss! I'm SO thankful for all your comments and kudos! I've had some busy weeks but hopefully I'll be able to post regularly from now on (: here's chapter two.

As far as summer jobs go, the bar's an old-time favourite for Jaskier. It's also the antithesis of his time spent at Flippin' during the day, and that on its own makes it a very much welcomed distraction.

Well. 

A distraction that he gets paid for.

He'd trade that plastic-smelling old building filled to the brim with crocs for a full-time shift at the pub any day if he could. But he can't.

"Enjoy," he sets the tray of pineapple vodka shots down on the table and shows a polite smile to the group of eighteen-year-olds - one of them gets hold of his shirt and nearly makes him trip over his feet in her haste to prevent him from leaving.

He can't help but make a bit of scandalized sound at her eagerness.

"You promised you'd drink one with us!" she says, loudly, almost hysterically, as the rest of her girlfriends laugh, all red-cheeks and clothes still wet from an afternoon spent at the beach across.

Jaskier places his hand over hers and gently tucks it away.

"Can't drink on the job, love," he offers her a smile and makes to leave.

"So you're a liar!" another one chimes in, and Jaskier squints at her devilish challenging grin, "Jas, the little lying bartender, that's what we'll call you from now on."

"Leave him be, Evie, he's probably got a girlfriend."

"Do you?" the shirt-tugging one turns to him with a pair of lamb glassy eyes, indication that she's had one too many drinks already. And _he_ would know. He's been serving them for about three hours now, he's saved their favourite table by the entrance and has been dodging their enthusiastic invitations for a week already.

"I don't," he finally laughs and turns around to send his co-worker a look at his insistent whistling from behind the bar: Lazlo is gesturing for him to come back and he means to make his way through the tables only to find himself unable to, again.

"Will you dance with me at least, when your shift is over?" blondie asks over the incessant loud playing of the local band. And Jaskier's pretty sure they'll all be wasted come morning - what's more, at this rate he'll be calling them a ride before midnight strikes, so he concedes today. 

"I can do a dance," he says, with another of those smiles, and hurries to join a slightly-panicky and outnumbered Lazlo behind the bar. 

" _Jesus_ they're a clingy bunch," the younger boy rolls his eyes with exasperation.

"Can't help being loved," Jaskier jokes, Lazlo short of shoves him forward toward the opposite corner, where there are at least three new customers waiting to be served. He fixes the first two some snacks and a couple of mojitos and makes his way towards the one leaning on his back and staring down the beach.

(And only stumbles over his words for a slip of a second when the man turns around to smile at him, with his long and dark-haired locks and broad shoulders.) 

"Just a couple of beers, if you have any," he says, and Jaskier clears his throat and nods before turning around in direction to the fridge. 

"Of course we do!" he exclaims with a nervous laugh, like an idiot, and doesn't miss Lazlo chuckling from his spot next to the mixer as he throws a cup of strawberries in, "why wouldn't we?"

The man only shrugs, and his smile easily turns into a grin. 

"Don't know, everyone's drinking juice."

Jaskier lets out another laugh that gets swallowed by a sudden hype in the band's repertoire and slightly leans on the counter to speak up. 

"Some of that juice is stronger than your lager, mate!" he nods playfully, keeping his eyes on the customer as he puts the can to his lips and gulps down its contents, more than a drop or two slipping down his chin and continuing their journey down his neck. Jaskier only blinks out of his spell when Lazlo brushes past him.

"Hm. Might try some later, then," Broad Shoulders says, turning back around with a wink and bracing himself on the counter with a tattoed arm.

And Jaskier could say he's forgotten about him two hours later, after the constant running to and fro cleaning and serving tables and sometimes re-stacking toilet paper and after a dozen trips to the back to re-stash the ice cube supply. He _could_ say he's forgotten about Hot Beer Dude, but he would be lying. 

He isn't even pretending he doesn't see the looks sent his way and how the man has turned around and properly sat down on one of the stools and followed his every move for the last forty minutes, occasionally striking a conversation with some other customer awaiting their order or chit-chatting with Lazlo when he's preparing some fancy cocktail nearby. 

There's only so much he can do not to flirt with the customers when they're _that_ eager, Jaskier thinks, and there's no harm in indulging him a bit, is there?

Maybe if he just snogs him right here and now he'll even be able to get rid of his insistent friends at the entrance before one of them comes to claim their dance.

"Share the joke with the group," Lazlo asks as he chops away limes next to him, and Jaskier is quite flushed from trying to man the tables _and_ the bar _and_ the cleaning on a day they're understaffed so he's sure his new co-worker doesn't actually notice him going red all over.

"It's uh - nothing," he blurts out, shrugging it off and swiping over the counter with an already wet towel just for the sake of making himself busy. And he probably would've got away with it, if he hadn't made the very amateur mistake of sending his admirer a glance right after.

So that's on him, really.

"I'd let you go any other night," Lazlo starts, but Jaskier cuts him off.

"Laz, I wasn't planning to," he lies.

Well.

Half-lies.

He can't deny the idea of slipping out the back and getting on his knees and yanking off that white tank-top to properly appreciate whatever other art that fine specimen of a man has got permanently inked on his chest doesn't excite him.

But they're understaffed and it's a Sunday. Alas, there's no chance he's getting face-fucked tonight. 

"And he's like, twice my age I reckon," Jaskier adds, a really poor attempt to back up his statement. This time it's Lazlo letting out a chuckle. 

"And that has stopped you before."

Jaskier makes a strangled sound and turns to the blond, mouth half-open and brain still catching up with the cheeky tone, eyes scanning the perimeter to make sure the words haven't reached any other pair of ears.

"What? Like it's a secret?"

"Yes?!" Jaskier provides, with a dry throat and a high-pitched squeak.

"Not." Lazlo laughs in return, definitely enjoying this a little bit too much, "Sorry to break it to you, man, but you're a handsy drunk."

At that Jaskier takes a baffled step away and conveniently spots another couple leaving a table right next to their shot-loving barely-legal female fan-club by the entrance. Instinct edging him to run away from this conversation and take care or another dirty table left behind. 

"I'm not a _handsy drunk,_ " he blurts out, walking around a cackling Lazlo and pointing a finger at him, "stop it."

His co-worker lifts up his hands - a knife and lime along with them - and shakes his head.

"Alright!"

Jaskier kicks himself and leans back near, curiosity outweighing embarrassment.

" _When_ was I a handsy drunk?" 

"Remember that folk band that played last month?"

But, by some twist of faith, and Jaskier thinks that was probably a story he wasn't yet meant to hear, a loud wave of girly squeaks reach them from their favourite group of regulars, and Jaskier is making his way towards them instantly, finding three shattered glasses on the floor and one puking curly-haired ginger crouching down surrounded by her equally inebriated friends.

Having called in an uber and cleaned up the little mess only twenty minutes later, he returns to the bar after a quick stop by the toilets and is quite displeased to find his possible-catch of the night is very much gone. Generous tip waiting for him under the empty cans of beer but no extra note with no scribbled phone-number on it.

* * *

Jaskier's made it a habit to turn up in the mornings with an extra cup of black coffee because Vesemir's never actually been an early bird, never mind the fact he's probably one of the first people every morning to set foot on the sand. Popping down the flags and making sure everything's in order, no passed-out tourists dozing off under the scorching sun and especially no littering around the area.

But today Vesemir's not down by the water, where he can usually be found this early, enjoying the relative quietness before another busy summer day. And Jaskier's had to down a generous amount of caffeine he wasn't planning on burning off today because he's not going to stroll up those stairs and bubble up stupid things at those bloody beach models this early.

If they're even in, that is.

He can't quite function at 7 am. He needs a good hour of wave-riding to properly shake off the slumber and there's barely twenty people around so a safe place for his backpack isn't really a concern. Most of them are faces he sees on a daily basis - just the local kids and a couple of amateurs with colourful boards trying their best. 

And failing their best.

Vessie will be keeping an eye on him from his mighty tower, anyway - he makes sure to give him a wave before running towards the big blue sea and jumping atop his own board.

Valdo is the one who joins him today - looking like he could use an expresso himself.

"Busy night?!" Jaskier asks - or rather, shouts, from a couple of meters away, sitting on his board and keeping an eye on the newbies around trying to keep their balance long enough to be able to stand up on their own boards.

Valdo makes a face - something between obscenity and exhaustion.

"You've got no idea!" his friend shouts in return, a smooth wave lifting them both up and continuing its way towards the coast, "I'm in love!"

"Sure you are," Jaskier mumbles to himself sarcastically, turning his head towards a young boy failing to catch his wave properly and tumbling down into the messy revolving waters underneath. When he looks at Valdo again his friend returns the amused expression.

"They're like little babies learning to walk!"

Jaskier lets out a loud laugh at that and gets down on the board, paddling along to the next wave.

"You show them how's it's done, Jas!"

Valdo's always been a bit of a troublemaker - always the one taking things a step further, getting a bit to antagonistic for Jaskier's comfort, but this is all in good camaraderie so he does, in fact, try and look a bit smug as he rides one of the biggest waves so far with little to no difficulty.

When he emerges back up the surface, paddles past the crash zone of the waves, Valdo is still there, sitting up on his own board and clapping as he makes his way over.

"Yeeeeees, son!"

"Alright, keep it down," Jaskier tells him, biting down on his own smile.

"You're chewing more than you can swallow, mate," Valdo turns to a long-haired blond next to him, he looks no older than fifteen, a bit flushed and out of breath, "don't know why they keep sending you in here anyway, this place ain't for beginners."

"Oi, he's gotta learn somehow!" Jaskier chimes in.

"Yeah, well, beach is plenty big, go somewhere you don't get in the way!" Valdo snickers, straightening up his pose as Jaskier shakes his head and turns to the teenager.

"He's a dick! Ignore him!"

The kid nods and gives an awkward smile.

"I don't mind going somewhere else!" he shouts, starting to get down on his board and looking like a kicked puppy.

Valdo starts paddling to get the next big wave.

"I thought you _liked_ dicks!" he shouts as he goes by Jaskier, who shows him the middle finger, "watch and learn!"

And with that, Jaskier sees him get into position and disappear from sight as he enters that endless buckle of water rolling over and over and over. His eyes follow the wave and land on the sand, a bit over to the left of the tower but by the shore, where Vesemir's gone to talk someone over to the swim-safe space in between the flags. 

People are just that thick. What's so difficult to comprehend about two pieces of fabric tied to a pole that clearly mean 'do not swim outside of this perimeter'? And don't even get him started on the 'dangerous currents' signs - it's like they're just plain invisible to some. He's had his fair share of managing the crowds and knows by a fact that sometimes he'd rather duck those poles out of the sand and knock people out with them. 

Can't go in the water if they're unconscious.

Can't drown if they're not in the water.

Problem solved.

Jaskier only returns his attention back to Valdo once he realises the foam has cleared over and he's nowhere to be seen. Nowhere on top of his board, at least. And then another wave breaks down and he thinks he sees a glimpse of his bright blue board being washed away further. That's when he starts paddling his way over, anxiously waiting for his mop of hair to emerge from the depths.

A lone red board can be seen floating away quickly, along with the last pushing wave, and it makes Jaskier's stomach turn over. Never a good sign, a board without a surfer.

"Val!" he shouts, and just in the nick of time, Valdo takes a deep breath of air as he latches onto his own board from below and as another wave comes straight for him. Jaskier misses him completely, himself being propelled away by the same wave that seems to send his friend back under, "shit."

Luckily, Valdo meets him there, far away from the impact zone and very much looking like an angry bull, sloppily keeping himself on top of the board but falling off ungracefully once he collides with Jaskier.

"What happened?!"

"Some fucking amateur! Fuck!"

Jaskier gets closer immediately before Valdo can step on his left foot and go tumbling face down into the water again.

"I will _kill_ someone!" his friend rages, leaning heavily on Jaskier, who tries to keep his own board under his arm and bring him safely out of the water.

"Alright, calm down," Jaskier provides, knowing it's falling on deaf ears. Valdo's already looking frantically around for that _someone_ to kill, "we don't know if it's serious."

"Well it fucking _feels_ serious," Valdo mumbles, and Jaskier makes a face at the look of his bleeding ankle, once they're on dry land. They short of collapse against the sand, and Jaskier makes a quick job of untying his and Valdo's boards off their legs to prevent any further injuries, "shiiiiiiiiiit," Valdo cries, finally having a proper look at the gushing of blood coming out from what looks like a very nice slice of his skin.

Jaskier cringes at the sight of it and immediately looks up and whistles - Vesemir is running over already. 

Then Valdo goes off again. 

"Oi, you prick! Don't get in the fucking water if you don't know how to handle your fucking board, alright?!"

Jaskier turns around to see a younger guy coming over, red board under his shoulder and hands wiping over the water in his eyes.

"What? You came straight for _me,_ mate."

The guy sticks the board on the sand next to them and comes closer to frown down at a fire-spitting Valdo, who makes a face Jaskier knows shouldn't be taken lightly. It's the face he makes when he wants to bash someone's head in.

"You what?!"

"You bumped into _me_."

"Oh, shut your fucking hole," Valdo shakes his head and puts up an accusing finger, Jaskier jumps in to de-escalate the situation, before Valdo stands up to throw some punches and does even further damage to his tendons. _Gosh that looks painful._

"You don't let go of your board again, leash goes around your ankle, okay?" he takes a step forward rather unhappy, because he may not be up for trouble at this early hour but that doesn't mean this idiot hasn't made a rookie and completely avoidable mistake. "Pretty basic, don't go in if you can't master something as simple as safety measures."

"I told you, these fucking newbies..." Valdo mutters under his breath.

Vesemir comes to crouch down right next to him, hands on his leg almost immediately preventing it from moving. 

"What happened?"

"This fucking clown happened!"

At that, Red-Board guy short of shoves Jaskier out of the way and takes a stance.

"Stop whining, will ya? It's barely a scratch, maybe you should've paid more attention before you went in for the wave."

"That's it," Valdo pushes down on the sand with both hands and gets up despite Vesemir's hands on his shoulders trying to keep him down, "get off me!"

"Valdo, that's _enough_ ," Vesemir warns, with that cold authoritarian voice of his, and Valdo stops squirming and clenches his jaw instead, clearly swallowing another bunch of insults. 

"Yeah, _Valdo_ , that's enough," the stranger sings mockingly, sniffing and showing a smile much too smug for Jaskier's liking.

"Fuck off mate, go get some proper lessons," Jaskier tells him, turning around already to go join a limping Valdo on his way towards the tower. "Try the south coast, and use your leash this time, for your own fucking sake."

"You can't kick me off, you don't own the beach."

Jaskier stops in his tracks, and it's only the look that Vesemir throws him over his shoulder what makes him keep on putting one foot in front of the other. 

"Yeah, think you can just order people about 'cos you're the lifeguard's bitch?"

At that, Jaskier sets both boards down on the sand, turns around and squares up to the guy, who definitely hadn't been expecting such a straightforward reaction. 

"Why don't you say that to my _face_?"

Red-Board Douche takes a slight step back but looks him straight in the eye.

"Yeah," he nods, with that same smug smile from before that now makes Jaskier's blood boil, "you're a little bitch."

And Jaskier's fist goes up, but it gets grabbed by a strong pair of hands and he gets shoved backwards by Vesemir.

"You." Vesemir points at the guy with a stony glare, " _Back_ off. And you," he turns to Jaskier with a growl, "pick up those damn boards."

Jaskier opens his mouth to voice out his disagreement to that order, but Vesemir pushes him towards Valdo with a very much over-the-top shove which has him swallowing his words. 

"I'm babysitting. I'm a babysitter," Vesemir keeps growling, as he slides an arm round Valdo's waist and slowly they match towards the main tower with little jumps on the surfer's part. "I'm sixty in two weeks and I am babysitting."

Jaskier reckons it's a good thing he didn't get to give Vessie that coffee after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Any feedback is very much appreciated! (No, really, consider this: taking a minute to write a few words down there will brighten up my day.) Come talk to me on tumblr as well @smuggsy <3


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